Schoolchildren Among Initial Players of New Minecraft F1 Game

A group of schoolchildren has become some of the first individuals globally to experience a novel motorsport iteration of the highly popular video game, Minecraft. Pupils from Middle Barton Primary School in Oxfordshire visited the headquarters of Formula 1 team BWT Alpine to receive an exclusive preview of the new minigame. This minigame transforms the F1 team’s operational base into the world of Minecraft, allowing players to explore the facility and gain knowledge about the creation and racing of a contemporary Formula 1 car, all presented in 8-bit graphics. The game is part of Alpine’s commitment to the Race into STEM campaign, which aims to increase female involvement in motorsport and provide educational content for young people. It was developed in collaboration with Microsoft, the owner of Minecraft and a sponsor of Alpine. Within the game, players can interact with virtual versions of actual team members, including its head of build and test, chief financial officer, and team principal Oliver Oakes. Outside the virtual realm of Minecraft, the real-life Mr. Oakes informed the BBC: “I guess when you’re young, everyone just thinks of Formula 1 as the drivers really, but there’s actually everything that goes into it – the engineering, the manufacturing and the processes, all those subjects you study at school.” He further stated, “Hopefully from today they just got a feel for all the possibilities as a career path.” Aerodynamics expert Paula Gutiérrez is also featured in the game, remarking that it was “quite a funny experience” to witness her digital recreation. She commented, “It’s great that we can put these events on and and let the children know what opportunities are available to them.” The minigame is currently accessible for free online via the Minecraft Education platform. Alpine, headquartered in Enstone, presently holds the sixth position in the F1 constructors championship. The team achieved its strongest seasonal performance during the recent race in Brazil, where both drivers, Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly, secured a podium placement. Updates from BBC Oxfordshire are available on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.